Avenging and bright (Michael William Balfe)
Music files
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- Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2024-01-16). Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 570 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: Avenging and bright
Composer: Anonymous (Traditional)
Arranger: Michael William Balfe
Lyricist: Thomas Moore
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong
Language: English
Instruments: Piano
First published: 1859 J. Alfred Novello
Description: AIR: CROOGHAN A VENEE
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Avenging and bright fall the swift sword of Erin
On him who the brave sons of Usna betray’d! —
For every fond eye he hath waken’d a tear in
A drop from his heart-wounds shall weep o’er her blade.
By the red cloud that hung over Conor’s dark dwelling,
When Ulad’s three champions lay sleeping in gore —
By the billows of war, which so often, high swelling,
Have wafted these heroes to victory’s shore —
We swear to avenge them! — no joy shall be tasted,
The harp shall be silent, the maiden unwed,
Our halls shall be mute, and our fields shall lie wasted,
Till vengeance is wreak’d on the murderer’s head.
Yes, monarch! though sweet are our home recollections,
Though sweet are the tears that from tenderness fall;
Though sweet are our friendships, our hopes, our affections,
Revenge on a tyrant is sweetest of all!